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Advocacy Project: District Congressional Meetings

In early May, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act (AHCA), a health care reform bill that will have serious consequences for the epilepsy community if enacted. The AHCA would repeal many of the patient protections created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and radically change the Medicaid program.

The Senate has reviewed the AHCA, and developed the Better Care Reconciliation Act, a similar bill that would make dramatic changes to our health care system. To learn more about the Epilepsy Foundation's concerns with the AHCA and BCRA, review our Letter to Senate Leadership and visit our website at advocacy.epilepsy.com/ACA.

Now is the perfect time for epilepsy advocates to speak up and speak out! Take this opportunity to schedule appointments with Congressional staff at district offices to talk about the importance of protecting access to health care for people with epilepsy. Encourage them to preserve critical patient protections created by the ACA and reconsider changes to Medicaid so that people living with chronic conditions and disabilities have access to affordable health care.

Here's how to get started:

Use our "Find Your Elected Officials" tool at advocacy.epilepsy.com/Elected to find the contact information for the district offices of your senators.

Request appointments to speak with the senators or their staff about issues important to the epilepsy community in your state.

When you secure a meeting, please let us know by emailing tsu@efa.org so we can help you prepare.

Advocacy Project: Attend a Town Hall

During Congressional recesses, many members of Congress return to their districts to hold town halls and other public events.

During these town halls, many voters are able to have their voices heard, and members of Congress discuss current events and policymaking in Washington.

View a list of town halls near you here. Planning to attend? Email tsu@efa.org.

Teen Advocacy Project: Write a Letter to the Editor

As Congress considers making changes to our country's health care laws, it is essential for epilepsy advocates to educate policymakers and the public about how these changes will affect our community.

Publishing letters to the editor in local newspapers can be a great way to catch the attention of members of Congress. Use the media tools below to customize your own letter and submit it to media outlets in your region.